Andre Carter was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. (FILE:Icon/SMI)

Patriots defensive end Andre Carter broke a single game franchise record with his 4.5 sack performance against the Jets on Sunday night, and on Wednesday he received a little extra recognition for it.

The team announced that the veteran was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, which is the first time a Patriots defensive player has earned that accolade this season.

Quarterback Tom Brady has twice been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week in 2011, once for his performance in the Patriots’ 38-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football, and again two weeks later for his performance in the Patriots’ 35-21 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

As for Carter, he said after Sunday night’s win that their defensive performance as a whole put them one step closer to finally starting to build some continuity.

“We did, and I think what it boiled down to was the communication as far as the defensive line front, and the communication on the back end,” said Carter after Sunday night’s game. “There’s just been times where we’ve been consistent for maybe three quarters of the game, and then that last quarter, for whatever reason, we just don’t finish. That was something we constantly harped on, and this was such a great opportunity just to put together a full game.”